Home
by Jenniefer Kingsley
Summary: A young Aragorn runs away from home. Will he find the strength to return...


Disclaimer: I own nothing...  
-~Home~-  
  
Aragorn sat down at the base of a tree and shivered. It was a cold winter evening and he had run off without taking anything with him, he had not bothered to even get a cloak. Why had he left again? Oh yes, he had had a fight with his father over whether or not he was to be allowed to go abroad on his own. Of course Aragorn had thought he was ready, after all, he was fifteen. Sitting alone at the base of the large tree though, he wasn't entirely sure.   
  
He leaned his head back against the tree and let out a shuddering sigh. He shut his eyes against the moisture that threatened to leak out from beneath the lids. Why did he always have to be so impulsive? He could have thought it out rationally and then he wouldn't be in this mess. He let out a deep breath and resolutely stood up. He would head to the nearest village, he couldn't go home, his pride wouldn't allow it.   
  
Weary, Aragorn pushed his way out of the forest. The sun was just setting, and in a few hours, it would be dark. He could see lights burning only a few miles away, if he set out now he could make it to the town before morning.   
|*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*|  
Aragorn tiredly collapsed on the bed in the room that had been given to him. He didn't think about the money, he had none. Somehow he would make it work. He fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.  
|*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*|  
Several days later Aragorn was having a problem. With no money, he had been thrown in to the streets. Now he had no place to go. His mind briefly thought of going home...could he do that? His father must be worried about him. Yes, he decided, the only place to go is home.  
|*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*|  
|I've come to my senses|  
|How did I get so far from home|  
|The lies dissapating|  
|Revealing I'm so alone|  
|And I remember now|  
|How strong love can be|  
|And I wonder how did I ever leave|  
|*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*|  
The chill wind bit into Aragorn as he walked steadily back toward Rivendell. He was hungry and tired and cold, and he still kept going. He had nothing, just as he had started out with nothing. But he had gained something, a little knowledge. He now knew that he wasn't ready to be on his own.  
|*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*|  
Lord Elrond looked out the window and sighed. It had been four days since Estel had run off. He had run off before, but he had always come back before the end of the first day. Elrond had sent out his elder sons to search for his younger, wayward son. He was worried, a number of things that could happen to the young human had already occurred to him and he had to work hard to push the negative thoughts away.  
  
To calm himself, he bagan to sing softly to himself a song he had used to calm young Aragorn as a young child.   
|*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*|  
Aragorn could hear his father's soft voice, though whether it was with his ears or his heart he did not know. He strained with his ears to hear more clearly the melody that seemed to be riding the wind.  
|*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*|  
|Burn the fire on the altar|  
|Leave a candle on the porch|  
|I'm still too far away to see it|  
|But I'm aching for it's warmth|  
|And I'm so tired and cold and dark and lonesome|  
|But still I hear your song inside|  
|So sing it louder if you want me home tonight|  
|Sing it loud now, 'cause I'm coming home tonight|  
|*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*|  
Aragorn stopped on the edge of the forest, hesitant to enter it. He had run off before, and he had been cruel in his parting words to Elrond. An inner battle was fought between the half that was still too stubborn to return and admit he was wrong and the half that needed forgiveness and the warmth of his father's love.  
  
Finally, he entered the woods that led to his home. Though he was still hesitant about actually returning. He was afraid that he would be rejected. Not knowing what would await him when and if he got there.   
  
He nearly turned around near sundown. He sat at the base of a large tree. It was the same tree he had sat at four days prior and had decided to leave. He thought for awhile and then resolutely set off in the direction opposite of the one he had taken last time. He was going home.  
|*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*|  
|This isn't the first time|  
|I've wandered away from home before|  
|You'd have every reason|  
|To silently lock the door|  
|But I remember now|  
|How strong love can be|  
|And I wonder how you might welcome me|  
|*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*|  
A figure stepped into the courtyard, noted by one set of eyes only. Elrond watched as Aragorn made his way toward the main house. A smile finding its way to his lips, the Lord of Rivendell hurried to meet his wayward son.   
  
Aragorn was trying to be quiet, it appeared that everyone was asleep and he was tired as well. He had planned to go to sleep and announce his prescence in the morning, after everyone had awoken.  
  
He entered his bedroom to find Elrond sitting on his bed, waiting for him. The two looked at each other a moment before Elrond got up and crossed the room in several strides, engulfing Aragorn in a hug.   
  
"Ada, I'm sorry," Aragorn said.  
  
"Ai, Estel. You had me worried, but I did not doubt that you would return. You are forgiven."  
  
Tears left both eyes that night, and Elrond had to ask, "What made you come back?"  
  
Looking up into his father's eyes Aragorn simply and sincerely replied, "I heard your song."  
|*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*|  
|Burn the fire on the altar|  
|Leave a candle on the porch|  
|I'm still too far away to see it|  
|But I'm aching for it's warmth|  
|And I'm so tired and cold and dark and lonesome|  
|But still I hear your song inside|  
|So sing it louder if you want me home tonight|  
|Sing it loud now, 'cause I'm coming home tonight|  
|*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*|  
TELE[END] 


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